Mozaic Library Review
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
By Zoulfa Katouh
Reviewed by Amirah Redwan
Why As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow Is More Than Just Fiction
I decided to browse through Mozaic’s new library for a book since I’ve been wanting to get back into reading. And what better way to start than with the books right here at Mozaic?
My favorite genre is historical fiction, so I picked one from my “to-be-read” list: As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh.
“Through Salama’s eyes, Katouh beautifully portrays the horrors of war—but also the resilience that blossoms in its midst.”
A Story Rooted in Pain and Perseverance
The story is set in Homs, Syria, and follows the war through the eyes of an 18-year-old girl named Salama. She has lost nearly everyone in her family to the Syrian military—some killed, others detained in the infamous Sednaya Prison, where many are tortured until death.
Before the war, Salama was studying pharmacy in college. But after the violence began, her world was turned upside down. Suddenly, with only a year of training, she was working in a hospital—amputating limbs, stitching wounds, and performing surgeries with barely any medical equipment, as supplies were deliberately blocked by the regime.
Love, Faith, and the Will to Survive
Despite malnutrition, depression, and hallucinations, Salama finds strength in her love for Syria, her memories of her family, and her dream of freedom. Amid the darkness, she even discovers love—a halal love—and with the support of a doctor who becomes a father figure, she begins to rebuild her sense of family and faith.
Still, she faces a devastating decision:
Should she leave Syria to save herself—or would leaving mean betraying her homeland?
When her hospital is bombed, she realizes she must escape—not just for herself, but to honor her parents’ wish for her survival.
More Than Fiction—A Reflection of Reality
This book reminded me that As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is more than historical fiction—it’s reality. Real people have lived Salama’s story. Are living her story. Real families have faced these same impossible choices.
The war in Syria claimed countless lives—both physically and mentally—and forced millions to leave everything behind. Yet even in exile, their love for Syria endures.
The lemon trees, as Katouh reminds us, have seen it all. They have witnessed the suffering, but they also keep growing—reaching toward the light as symbols of hope and resilience for future generations.
Echoes Beyond Syria
As I read, I couldn’t help but think of Palestine. Syria’s war may have shifted into rebuilding, but the struggle in Palestine continues. It is not simply war—it is genocide: a war on children, on mothers, on the elderly, on the innocent.
Their cries echo around the world, and they too deserve to live in freedom.
Let us hold on to hope—just as the lemon trees endure—that one day, like Syria, Palestine too will be free.
About the Book
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow / By Zoulfa Katouh
Genre: Historical Fiction / War / Refugee Experience
Set in: Homs, Syria